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(No Model-.) A 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. 0. HENDERSON & F. A. PHELPS, Jr.

- STEAM ENGINE.

No. 480,946. I Patented Aug. 16, 1892.

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I I 4SheetsSheet 2. J G. HENDERSON 81; F. A. PHELPS; Jr.

STEAM ENGINE.

No. 480,946. Patented Aug. 16, 1892.

(No Model.) I 4Sheets-Sheet 3. J. G. HENDERSON 8v F. A. PHELPS; Jr.STEAM ENGINE.

No. 480,946. Patented Aug. 16, 1892.

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(No Model.) 4 4Sheets-Sheet 4.

' J. G. HENDERSON, 8v P. A. PHELPS, Jr.

STBAMENGINE.

Nb.480,946. V Patented Aug. 16, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN C. HENDERSON, OF NEW YORK, AND FREDERICK A. PHELPS, JR., OF

SCHENECTADY, ASSIGNORS TO THE EDISON COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GENERAL ELECTRIC STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 480,946, dated August16, 1892.

Application filed October 26, 1891.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN C. HENDERSON, residing at New York city, inthe county of New York, and FREDERICK A. PHELPS, J r., re

5 siding at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectaday, State of NewYork, citizens of the United States, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Steam-Engines, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention relates to means for controlling the valves of asteam-engine and to the arrangement of the valves and dashpots.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved connection betweenthe speedgovernor of the engine and the valve or valves adjustedthereby, and especially in engines having several steam-valves all ofwhich are controlled by a single governor.

Another object is to provide an improved arrangement of the valveswhereby a shorter clearance of the piston is obtained, and whereby theconstruction of the valve-seats is simplified.

Another object is to furnish an improved tripping mechanism forreleasing the valve at a proper point of the stroke of the engine.

A further object is to so arrange the valves and dash-pots relatively asto simplify the construction and improve the operation of said parts.

The invention consists in the several features and combinationshereinafter named.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a general view of an engine having ourimproved devices thereon. Fig. 2 is a central section of thehigh-pressure cylinder, showing the improved arrangement of the valvesand dash-pots. Fig. 3 shows one end of a valve-stem and the devicessurrounding the same in section. Fig. 4: is a section on line m w ofFig. 3. Fig. 5 is a section on line y y of Fig. 3. Figs. 6 and 7 areside views at right angles to each other of the upper cover of thelow-pressure 45 cylinder, and Fig. 8 is a view of one of thesteam-valves of the low-pressure cylinder.

The foundation-box 1, the bed-plate 2, and the arrangement of the dynamoor dynamos 3 need not be described in detail.

On the bed-plate is supported a three-cylinder engine, the positions ofthe high-pressure, intermediate-pressure, and low-pressure cylindersbeing indicated by the letters H P, I P, and L P, respectively.

V is the throttle-valve of the engine. 5

Suitably pivoted or journaled in front of the vertical faces of thecylinders are wrist-plates 4 5 6, which are oscillated or turned backand forth through a certain are by the connecting-rods 7, which, inturn, are operated by the eccentrics 8, the eccentric-rods 9, andsuitable rocker-arms extending from the shaft 10, and to the ends ofwhich the eccentric-rods 9 are connected in the usual manner. From thewrist-plates extend connecting-rods 11 to the upper steam-valves,similar rods 12 to the lower steam-valves, and rods 13 14 to the upperand lower exhaust-valves, the connections between said rods and valvesbeing shown more fully in Figs. 3, at, and 5, hereinafter described.

15 is a speed-governor, preferably provided with four weights 16 andhaving a sliding collar 17 connected to the rod 18, the lower end ofwhich is connected to the T-lever 19, pivoted at 20. From the ends ofthe cross-head of this lever extend connecting-rods 21 to the verticalarm of a +-shaped lever 22, pivoted at 23. From the opposite ends of thehorizontal arm-of this lever extend two rods or connecting devices 24,the upper ends being connected to the opposite ends of one or moreT-shaped levers 25, each of which is centrally pivoted, as indicated at26.

Connected with the outer end of the vertical extension of the T-lever orT-levers is a rod,or are rods, 27, extending to the armorarms 28,through which the valve-trips are operated. Said arm 28 forms anextension from the sleeve 29, which is mounted upon and adapted to turnon a bearing formed by the valve-bracket 30, which surrounds thevalve-stem 31. The

sleeve 29 carries two cams or trips 32 32, the

former of which is adapted to ride under the beveled ends 33 of thetrip-toe 34, which is se- 5 the valve-stem, and carries at its oppositeend itself is bolted thereto.

a pawl 37, which pawl is pressed by spring 38, carried by the casing 36,against the periphery of the sleeve 39, which is keyed to thevalve-stem. At one point in the sleeve 39 is firmly secured a hard-metalblock 40, against which the pawl 37 engages when the extension 41 of thesleeve rests in the positionshown. In this position of the several partsthe valve carried by the stem 31 will be closed.

42 is an end cover for the casing 36, having a central bearing 43, inwhich the end of the valve-stem rests.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the arrangement of the valves and dash-potswill be specifically described. 44 is a head of the highpressurecylinder, and in it are formed valveports 45 46, valve-seats 47 48, andan opening or seat 49 for a dash-pot 50. The valve-seats are adapted toreceive Corliss or rotary valves. 51 is the steam-valve and 52 theexhaustvalve, said valves consisting of main bodies 53, having groovesfor the reception of the blades 54, which blades are provided withcircular stems 31, as indicated in Fig. 3. To the upper edge of theblade 54 of the steam-valve is secured the adjustable link 55, the outerend of which is pivoted to the dash-pot piston 56, which is always incommunication with the steam-chamber, as shown. The piston 56 isconnected with a larger air-piston 57, moving in the dash-pot cylinder,adapted to retard and regulate the movement of the valve. 58 is a smallspring-controlled safety-valve, and 59 is a screw, the point of whichextends into the opening 60 for the purpose of adj ustiug the openingthrough which air can escape. As shown,the seat for the dash-pot is castintegral with the cylinder-head and the dash-pot 61 is an elastic sheetof suitable material at the outer-end of the dash-potto receive thestroke of the piston should it for any reason strike the end of thecylinder. 62 is a cover over a hand-hole 63 to provide means for gettingat and adjusting the length of the link 55 when necessary. No dash-potis connected to the exhaust-valve. The arrangement of parts at the lowerend of the cylinder will be practically the same as that abovedescribed, and the arrangement of the valves and dash-pots at theintermediate cylinder will be practically the same and need not bedescribed in detail. ure cylinder the heads will be ofslightly-different form, as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7.

Owing to the size of this cylinder, the heads will be large and thevalves will be long, and I in order to make their operation more certainand even we may provide one or more dash- 5 pots for a single valve, onedash-pot being connected to the valve at the lug 64 and one beingconnected to the same stem at 65. The two dash-pots are placed side byside at 49, as shown in Fig. 7. Between the high-pressure,intermediate-pressure, and low-pressure cylinders pipes 66 extend fromthe exhaustpassage of one cylinder to the steam-passage of thesucceeding cylinder. These pipes and At the low-press passages, whichare quite large, form steamreservoirs. When the throttle-valve is firstopened, live steam is admitted to the steamports 45 of the firstcylinder, moving the piston P down, the upper steam-valve being open.The movement of the engine caused by this movement of the piston willturn the wristplates 4, carrying sleeve 36 around toward the right, atthe same time carrying the pawl 37 forward, turning the valve-stem 31until the toe 33 at the opposite end of the shaft 35 from the pawl 37rides up on cam 32. This turns the shaft 35 and raises pawl 37 out ofengagegagement with the block 40. The steampressure on piston 56 is thusallowed to operate to move the piston toward theleft, closing the valve.It will be understood that the steam-valve at the bottom of the cylinderis controlled in the same manner, but'is closed when the upper valve isopen. The two exhaust-valves are also controlled in accordance withthepositions of the steam-valves. As the engine gets under way thespeed-governor 15 will operate. to turn the sleeve 29 to a greater orless extent, thereby varying the distance between the end 33 and the cam32, and hence controlling the time at which steam will be out off fromthe cylinder. If from any cause the governor should become defective orthe means for driving it disarranged, the governorballs would fall andwould move trip 32. around under pawl 34, and retain it there so thatthe cam on the valve-stem would not engage with block 40 and the valvewould therefore not be moved to open position. The valves at theintermediate and low pressure cylinders will simultaneously be operated.The three pistons are preferably connected through suitable connecting-rods and pitmen to cranks at one hundred and twenty degrees apart onthe engine shaft. By using the double arrangement of rods 21 24, one ofeach of said rods act.- ing as a push-rod and the other as a pull-rod,we find that we can transfer motion from the governor to the tripmechanism much better than by means heretofore used. When a singletransmitting-rod is used it must be large enough to be rigid, so as notto bend when acting by thrust movement. In our present arrangement thetransmitting device always acts with both a thrust and a pull, and thereis no danger of lost motion. The trip herein described is easilycontrolled by the governor, since all the work necessary to be donethereby is that required to turn the sleeve 29 on the large cylindricalbearing provided for it. By mounting the valves in the heads of thecylinders the ports directly face the piston, instead of coming in atthe side of the cylinder close to its end. Hence, as already indicated,the clearance of the piston can be reduced, and since the heads of thecylinder are comparatively small and easily-handled parts it is moreconvenient to form the valve-seats than when they are made in thecylinder itself. The valves are also more accessible and are morereadily connected to their dashpots. By connecting two dash-pots to thevalve when it is long enough to require it all straining of the valve isavoided and sufficient power is obtained to close the valve promptly. Insome cases it may be desirable to employ a spring S, Fig. 6, to aid inthe operation of the low-pressure'dash-pot in order to have theoperation prompt when the engine is first started.

What we claim is-- 1. The combination of a speed-governor, a valve theoperation of which is controlled by said governor, and means fortransferring motion from the governor to the valve mechanism, said meanshaving a pivoted arm adapted to be tilted by the governor, two rodsorconnecting devices extending from the arm on opposite sides of itspivot, whereby one acts as a pull-rod and the other as a pushrod, asecond pivoted arm, to which the two rods are connected onopposite'sides of its pivot, and a working connection between the sameand the valve mechanism, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a speed-governor, one or more valves theoperations of which are controlled by said governor, and means fortransferring motion from the governor to the valve mechanism, said meanshaving a pivoted arm adapted to be tilted by the governor, the two rodsextending from the arm on opposite sides of its pivot and one or moreother pivoted arms, to which the two rods are connected, and workingconnections between said arm or arms and valve mechanism, substantiallyas described.

3. The combination of a steam-valve mechanism, a speed-governor, andmeans for transferring motion from the governor to the valve mechanism,said means having two pivoted arms connected by rods on opposite sidesof the pivots, one of the arms being provided with two angularextensions, rods connected thereto and to a T-shaped lever, one arm ofwhich is connected to the movable part of the governor, the otherpivoted arm having an extension, and a rod connected thereto and to thecontrolling device of the valve mechan ism, substantially as described.

4. The combination of a cylinder, a head therefor having in it a valveport and seat, a valve in said seat, and a dash-pot, also on thecylinder-head, connected to the valve, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a cylinder, a head therefor having in it a valveport and seat, a rotary valve in said seat, and a steam-operateddash-pot, also on the cylinder-head, connected to the valve,substantially as described.

6. The combination of a cylinder, a head therefor having in it a valveport and seat, a valve in said seat, and a dash-pot, also on thecylinder-head, connected to the valve, said cover being provided with ahand-hole, and a cover therefor, whereby access may be obtained to thevalve and dash-pot connection, substantially as described.

7. The combination of a valve and stem, a pawl operatively connected tosaid stem, a sleeve on the stem, a connecting-rod for moving saidsleeve, pawl, and valve in one direction, a second sleeve on the stemoperatively connected to the governor, a cam on said sleeve, a trip-toeadjacent to said sleeve and adapted to be moved by the cam, the toe andpawl being connected by a shaft 35, so as to move together, and meansfor reversing movement of the valve when said trip is operated,substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 17th day of October, 1891.

JOHN G. HENDERSON.

Witnesses:

R. 'O. 'RATHBORNE, ARPAD VoN BARBER.

This specification signed and witnessed this 20th day of October, 1891.

FREDERICK A. PHELPS, J R.

'Witnesses:

HENRY B. HUGHES, HORACE F. PARSHALL.

